A Silent Occurence I

Sora Shinomiya heads home, each step carrying a thought. What grade and class is she? Did she even see me? What manga was she reading? What music was she listening to? Does she also prefer the silence...?

"Oh Sora, welcome home. Dinner is on the dining table as usual." The rest of his family has had their dinner together. While Sora now eats alone. How he prefers it. 

After dinner, he makes his way up to his room. While his older and younger brother sleeps together, he has his own room. Perpendicular beside the window is his working table with a PC and an ergonomics chair. Other than school work, here is where he spends his time watching anime, gaming, surfing the internet, checking social media and reading manga, which he also does on his bed. Directly behind it, his bookshelf, furnished completely with mangas and figures. 

Another quiet morning followed by another contemplative walk to school. This time, it is not about mangas and superpowers. Instead, he ponders if he will see the girl again. The probability is low, but it is possible. She might be another regular customer like me. 

Even without an exchange of words, Sora knows she and her are alike. Individuals who live in in another world. Their own world. 

Though, does it really matter if she will be there or not? As long as she leaves me alone, it wouldn't really concern me. 

But he knows he would be lying if he said he does not have an inch of curiosity within him. 

Wait, if we're in the same school then we m-

For a second his mind stop. His body, on the other hand, proceeded walking. Eyes locked. 

I see. I'm not a fan of romance mangas, but it does feel slightly cliché. 

The girl sat on the back row seat closest to the door. Or in other words, the opposite side of Sora's seat. Like before, she is hearing her earphones. While the other students were in partners or groups, engaging one another in conversations, a student sits distant in the corner of the room. An all too familiar presence. 

Curiosity? Surprise? Astonishment? Sora couldn't find the proper words to describe his feelings for the girl. But definitely another subject for him to ponder. 

As school begins, every now and then Sora would steal a glance at her to see what she was doing. Nothing much, but, she instantly exits class the moment the lunch bell rings. Wonder where she went. Has to be a spot she could eat at. Oh well, he might find her some other time when he decides to walk around school during lunch. This time, however, he decides to simply sit in class.

The girl returns a few minute before class starts with her earphones on. She takes them off and places them in her bag. She behaves normally in the next classes. Silent and working alone during group assignments. Maybe normal was not the best word to describe how she behaves. 

In one class she had to answer a question. She answered it correctly. Her voice, really soft and quiet. You could tell she had to force her voice out to reach the teacher on the other side of the room. Sora can sympathize with her situation very well.

She didn't feel comfortable speaking so openly. It was definitely way above her normal speaking volume. She probably knows that she has to do so in order to not attract attention and more problems. When one decides not to talk when his name is called, then he would be creating more attention to himself. 

This girl is now the first and only other student Sora has ever payed attention to. 

Wait. She was called out. That means her name... Hm, what was it again... H-Hiro? No. Noru? Hiruno? Ah, I didn't hear her name properly.